Hydrangea
Hydrangea anomala

Family: Hydrangeaceae

What it is like

Bloom Color: Lavender, White. Main Bloom Time: Early summer, Early spring, Late summer, Late spring, Mid summer, Mid spring. Form: Rounded.

Hydrangea anomala is a deciduous Climber growing to 12 m (39ft 4in) at a fast rate. See above for USDA hardiness. It is hardy to UK zone 5 and is not frost tender. It is in flower from June to July, and the seeds ripen from August to September. The species is hermaphrodite (has both male and female organs) and is pollinated by Bees. Suitable for: light (sandy), medium (loamy) and heavy (clay) soils and prefers well-drained soil. Suitable pH: mildly acid, neutral and basic (mildly alkaline) soils and can grow in very acid soils. It can grow in full shade (deep woodland) semi-shade (light woodland) or no shade. It prefers moist soil. The plant can tolerates strong winds but not maritime exposure.

Height (m): 12

Where it is found

Shady ravines to 2100 metres in the Himalayas. Dense to sparse forests in valleys, along stream banks, or on rocky mountain slopes at elevations of 500 - 2900 metres.

E. Asia - China to the Himalayas.

Conservation Status:

Countries/locations it is found in

How it is used

Food

Rating: 3

Leaves - cooked. A cucumber taste. The Japanese crush the leaves and use them fresh with miso. A boiled concoction of the leaves is used to make a syrup. The sweet sap is used as a drink.

Sap: usually of trees and usually but not always used as a drink.

Condiment: the various plants that are used as flavourings, either as herbs, spices or condiments.

Sweetener: includes sugar substitutes.

Medicine

Rating: 1

The leaves are used medicinally. No further information is given.

Other

Rating:

The bark is a paper substitute. The sub-species H. anomala petiolaris can be used as a ground cover plant in a shady position. It is best spaced about 1.8 metres apart each way.

Paper: Related to the entry for Fibre, these plants have been specifically mentioned for paper making.

Espalier: A tree or other plant that is trained to grow flat against a support (such as a trellis or wall).

Ground cover: Ground Cover

How it is grown

Landscape Uses:Arbor, Espalier. Tolerates most soils, thriving in a well-drained loamy soil, but resenting dryness at the roots. Succeeds in full sun or semi-shade, but if it is grown in a low rainfall area then it requires shade at the hottest part of the day. Does well on very acid soils with a pH around 4.5. The colour of the flowers reflects the pH of the soil the plant is growing in, the flowers are pink in a neutral to alkaline soil and blue in an acid soil. Although the dormant plant is quite hardy in Britain, the young growth in spring can be damaged by late frosts. A fast-growing self-clinging climbing plant, attaching itself by means of aerial roots, and growing up walls or tree trunks on any aspect. The plants may need initial support, however. Plants are growing well on a wall at Kew. Grows well on north walls but prefers a sunnier position. Closely related to H. petiolaris. H. petiolaris is normally treated as no more than a sub-species of this species. This species is notably susceptible to honey fungus. Special Features: Not North American native, Blooms are very showy.

Propagating it: Seed - surface sow in a greenhouse in spring. Cover the pot with paper until the seed germinates. When they are large enough to handle, prick the seedlings out into individual pots and grow them on in the greenhouse for at least their first winter. Plant them out into their permanent positions in late spring or early summer, after the last expected frosts. Cuttings of half-ripe wood, 8cm long, July/August in a frame. Overwinter in a greenhouse and plant out in late spring. Cuttings of mature wood in late autumn in a frame. Mound layering in spring. Takes 12 months. Basal softwood cuttings of non-flowering shoots. Leaf-bud cuttings of the current seasons growth in a frame.

Best place to grow: Woodland Garden Sunny Edge; Dappled Shade; Shady Edge; not Deep Shade; Ground Cover; East Wall. By.

Habit: Climber

Hardiness: 4-8

Growth: Fast

Soil: Light (sandy), medium, heavy (clay)

Shade: Full shade, semi-shade, no shade

Moisture: Moist

Things to keep in mind

Its other names

Local names

Synonyms

H. altissima. Wallich.